Drowning
by Sassyblondexoxo
Summary: The battle was finally finished. And we had lost. Winner of 2005 Fanfic Awards Best Death Scene, Best Sad Ending, Best TearJerker.
1. I

_**Author's Note:**_

This is a dark fic, and as such, may be borderline above PG-13. Please be aware of violence, swearing, and a mature theme. This effort was very draining for me…and you're not supposed to like it. Take it for what it is – an effort to push my boundaries a bit.

_A quick note on turtle anatomy:_

Turtles have a respiratory system nearly identical to that of humans – they need air, and can dive for only short periods under the water (unlike what may be portrayed in the cartoons).

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The Chase **_

There's no escape  
From death's embrace,  
Though you lead it on  
A merry chase.

The dogs of death  
Enjoy the chase.  
Just see the smile  
On each hounds face.

The chase can't last;  
The dogs must feed.  
It will come to pass  
With terrifying speed.

_-The Book of Counted Sorrows_

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Dedication: **_

To my ball-and-chain editor, James, who is ever tolerant of my TMNT addiction.

And to sss979, who will probably never read this…thanks for lighting my fire.

_**

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Disclaimer: **_

I don't own. I just do with them as I please.

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DROWNING **

**(Leonardo's POV)**

I knew that I was drifting in and out of consciousness. Trapped somewhere between a world of truth and dreams, I tried desperately to push myself back into reality.

_Cold_…I was freezing. Vaguely, I realized that my body was trembling, and I managed to force a soft groan from between my lips. A clanging noise echoed dully in the background, making my head pound. God, everything hurt. My eyelids felt like lead weights. Gathering strength, I forced them open, fighting to bring the room back into focus…and finally latched on to a familiar green form that was lying across the room.

Michaelangelo. He was on his side, facing away from me. His orange bandana tails drifted in subtle waves down the back of his neck. I grimaced - he was out cold.

My nerves beginning to respond, I managed to roll onto my hands and knees. Nausea ran through me, and I held my breath until the wave passed. I refused to let it carry me away.

"Hey." The voice was soft, but strong enough to be heard over the incessant clanging. I tilted my head, my gaze connecting with Donatello's. A brief smile flashed across his face. He seemed relieved that I was awake. "You okay?"

"I…uh…what the hell?" I tried to move my arms, but realized quickly that they were bound together by a set of heavy metal clasps. The skin underneath was already abraded, slowly oozing a mixture of pus and blood. From my wrists, a chain ran towards my feet, which was connected to identical clasps around my ankles. I looked frantically back at Donatello, feeling my chest tighten when I saw that he was restrained in a similar fashion.

_Oh god…we were trapped._

My heartbeat quickened, adrenaline surging through me. The memories flooded back like a dam breaking inside my head. _Foot ninjas. Dozens of them. Surprise, panic, fear…we'd never seen it coming. I'd watched my brother's fall, one by one, disappearing into a swarm of black, until I was the only one left…_

After that, there was nothing. I hadn't lasted long – not with so many. They'd taken me down easily.

And then brought us here. _But where was here?_

Instantly, without conscious intent, I began to analyze my surroundings. Glass…we were in a glass cage. A box of some sort. The walls were high – at least fifteen feet by my estimation. Through the transparency, I could see that our enclosure was in another larger room, barren of anything except a door on one wall. The four of us were each bound in a corner, the heavy chains tightly anchored to metal rings embedded in the floor. Donatello was on my left, and Michaelangelo still lay unmoving on my right. Raphael was across from me.

Raphael…now I understood where all of the noise was coming from.

His eyes were blazing with anger, lips curled down in a menacing snarl. The expression on his face was absolutely vicious. Arms raised, he was swinging the manacles that bound his wrists against the glass. There was a sickening crack every time he connected, but there wasn't so much as a dent in the wall's surface. His arms, as well as his ankles, were inundated with blood from his struggles.

I started to open my mouth to say his name, but before the word could form, Donatello raised his hands to stop me. "Leave him alone, Leo. I've already tried."

I should have known. There was no reasoning with Raphael when he was like this – he wouldn't listen to anything except the feral call of his own anger. It was better to just let him wear himself out.

Groaning again, I struggled to rise to my feet. Every muscle in my body cried with agony. Donatello observed me intently, a pained expression on his face.

"How long have you two been awake?" I asked, my voice still groggy.

"Around an hour, Raph a little less." He threw a sidelong glance to Michaelangelo. His chest rose and fell rhythmically, as if he were sleeping soundly. "I think that we were drugged."

I nodded. That would explain the nausea. "Has anyone come in here?"

"No. Not Saki, not anyone. I think that they're waiting for all of us to wake up." Don answered.

Again, trying to come to grips with the situation, I found myself searching for a way out. Running my hands down the glass, I tried to feel for any sort of weakness in the material.

"It's hopeless, Leo," Don said, shaking his head. "It's tempered glass – bullet proof. Besides, I think that Raph's already proven that it won't break." He paused, eyes locking on the wall behind Michaelangelo. Squinting, I could faintly make out the shape of a tall rectangle, perhaps the remnants of a door. Its edges had been sealed with some sort of clear caulk. "That must be how they brought us in," Don continued, gesturing towards the area. "But it looks like it's been closed up just as tightly as the rest of it."

"Why, Donny? Why this?" I circled my head, indicating the strange enclosure around us. "What's the purpose of putting us in here?"

Donatello sucked in a short breath, his eyes closing briefly, then opening again. His expression was stark, and I almost thought that I could see his hands shaking.

"Look up."

I did, immediately noticing a gaping silver pipe suspended from the above. It originated from the ceiling of the larger room, its mouth opening directly over our heads. What in the world…?

"Gas line?" I asked, confused.

"Don't think so. If they were going to gas us, there would have to be a lid." Donatello turned away from me, averting his eyes and staring through the glass. An unsettling shiver ran through me.

I knew my brother. He had an idea of what that pipe was for, and he didn't want to tell me.

"Donny…"

"I don't know what to do, Leo," Don answered, fear coating his words. "I've looked over all of it, the glass, the chains…I can't come up with a way out." He toyed nervously with the metal running from his wrists. I shifted to the side, leaned over, and tried to re-establish eye contact. He relented, and my stare penetrated deeply into him.

"I need to know what we're dealing with, bro'," I urged, worry sharpening my tone more than I had intended.

He sighed loudly. "I can't be totally sure. You and I both know that Saki wants us to suffer."

I gritted my teeth, cringing inwardly at the certainty of his statement.

"I thought about some sort of chemical…" his voice trailed off, and I started to feel sick. My mind was racing at the mere thought of what that would be like.

"…but I think that would be too hard. Too expensive, too difficult to get enough of it. Besides… we can't forget that our bodies are valuable – to the right person, we could be worth millions. Even dead, as long as there's enough of us left." Don paused again, and the silence that followed made me realize that Raphael had stopped fighting with his chains. Sweat poured down his face and his sides were heaving from exertion, but the mindless violence had left his expression. Raphael's full attention now centered on Donatello.

"My only other thought," Donatello said softly, "is water."

_Water? Why…?_

Then it clicked.

Water…perfect, really. Agonizing, slow, clean – and not only did he get to watch us die, but we got to watch _each other_ die.

It was the perfect pain, physical _and _emotional.

Across the room, I saw Raphael tense. He understood. He glanced quickly, protectively at Michaelangelo, and I could sense the hate burning inside of him. His voice was low and malicious.

"_That sick fuck wants to watch us drown." _

**TBC...**

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A/N - This is a short fic, and amazingly enough for me, already complete. The updates will come in a timely manner. Please review - throw flames if you wish, but I would really love some feedback. **


	2. II

_**Author's Note:**_

I know, this next part is short...but it seemed to be the best place to cut it off. Thank you so much to my reviewers - wish I could invite y'all over for pizza or something. LOL, we could have our own little TMNT addicts meeting.

**Rene:** As always, thanks for your review. Yes, brace yourself.  
**Fallen Hikari:** I seem to have hit a nerve with a lot of people. Oddly, I've never been afraid of drowning - but I'm _terrified_ of sharks. Saved 3 people? That's incredible, what a great feeling. Honestly, kudos to you girl. But I can also sympathize with the fear of not getting there in time.  
**EntropyMage:** Thanks for your review...I _love_ being called evil. Means I did a good job!  
**Linchi:** I think that I got it fixed, thanks for the heads up. Loved hearing from you.  
**Reluctant Dragon:** Hit a nerve with you, too? Honestly, I'm not sure where the idea for this came from. It just popped into my head while I was running a few weeks ago (and listening to the song "baby got back"...obviously that had nothing to do with it.) How's that story coming? (wink).  
**Becca T: **Glad that I was able to catch your attention. About the pov - to be completely honest, I have some sort of fear of writing in the third person. I don't really know why. Guess that should be my next challenge. So, although this is from Leo's perspective, it's really about all of them - and I'm glad that it came through. Your compliments were VERY MUCH appreciated.  
**Kikiyophoenix:** Thanks for stopping by. We've had a lot of boundary pushing around this site lately, and I'm just glad to be able to add to the mix.  
**Deirdre:** Wow, even your reviews are so vividly worded - I was extremely excited to get a review from you, and I thank you bunches for your praise. It means a lot coming from you!  
**Pacphys: **Hope that you're recovering from your accident. That was an even bigger "whoa!"  
**Sprite232: **You can't believe how much my face lit up when I saw that you reviewed. Couldn't wipe the smile off for hours. And I _definitely _share your fear of sharks. One of my babysitters let me watch Jaws when I was around seven...what was she thinking? I don't know if you've seen Jaws the Revenge, but at the very beginning, some guy on a boat gets his arm bit off - while the christmas song "first noel" is playing in the background. Every time I hear that song, I cringe. The christmas spirit has been removed from that one! And Plague...I'm working on it. (Smile) I'm at a tough scene, and I want to make sure I get it right.  
**ChibiRose: **Yes, it is a sad reality. Thank you so much for your review, and I hope not to upset you too much!  
**Shannon: **Lol, pardon your language? As you can see, I have no qualms with that. Honestly, that was one of the best compliments that you could have given me...lol again...because that's exactly what I set out to do. Thank you so much for your review - I appreciate it!

This time, I really do think that the reviewer responses are longer than the chapter...I'll make it up to you by posting the rest very soon. Be aware of swearing - Raph has a dirty mouth, especially when you make him mad.

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(Leonardo's POV)**

An icy snake of fear uncurled in my stomach.

Donatello's words had left me utterly bewildered and profoundly shaken – for once at a total loss of a course of action. I tried to clear my mind, to stay calm, but an uncanny silence echoed through my ears. That, and the ominous feeling of being watched. I had suddenly become acutely aware of Oroku Saki's presence – not in the room, but somewhere close by. It ignited my senses, and I could almost feel his dark shroud filter through me. Unmistakably evil, laced with a hint of pure delight…

The sensation made me shudder.

I knew that our lives had always hung by a thread. We were aware of danger from day one, and the thought of death was constantly gnawing away at the back of my mind. But I'd never _truly_ believed that it would happen. I don't think that anyone does. We were so invincible…it seemed like, together, the four of us were always able make it through whatever was thrown our way.

But now, in here…I'd come to the realization that we'd reached the end of the line. And there was no way out.

Everything that I cared for – _my whole family_ – was locked inside a glass prison, about to perish under the amused watch of our most hated enemy. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. For the first time in my life, I felt truly weak. Desperate.

_Splinter…Master, what do I do?_ I silently begged him for an answer from beyond the grave. But I felt nothing – except my own guilt.

I'd failed, as a leader, as a protector, and as a brother. Normally calm and collected under pressure, I was falling apart.

_The battle was finally finished. And we had lost._

Tension filled our small enclosure, tension so palpable that I could feel it surrounding me. Raphael shifted in his corner, his smoldering temper still evident by the clenching and unclenching of his fists.

"We don't have much time, Leo," he growled, not looking at me, but instead at the solitary door along the far wall.

"You don't think I know that?" I replied indignantly. "You don't think I know what's at stake here?"

Raphael muttered something under his breath, then swore fiercely. He raised his arms, preparing to take another strike at the wall, but something stopped him mid-swing.

Oroku Saki.

The door had opened, revealing his towering form, skirted by a half a dozen foot soldiers. Although he was in full uniform, the mask that normally covered his face was absent. A cruel smile touched his lips as his eyes met mine from across the room. He stood for a moment, drinking in his victory, then moved toward us with smooth, gliding steps.

He bypassed Donatello, who stood in the corner closest to the door, and circled around to me. He stopped when his face was only inches from the glass. I didn't back down, instead stepping closer to challenge him through the barrier.

"Leonardo."

I couldn't hear his voice, but I watched his mouth form the syllables of my name – slowly and exaggerated, hot breath creating fog across the glass. His eyes were narrowed in pleasure, his expression brazen. He was mocking me.

I kept my whole body still, refusing to give him the reward of a reaction.

"So much talent." Again, there was no sound to his words as his stare scanned over me. "Such a waste. But I will _so_ enjoy watching you die."

I heard Raphael throw himself against his chains. "Fuck you, Saki! You don't even have the balls to face us like a man!" he yelled, loud enough to echo out through the top of our cage.

Saki's face darkened with anger. "Fool…" he yelled back, moving again to stand defiantly in front of my brother. Hate lit the space between them on fire – I had no doubt, that if he were free, Raphael could have killed him.

"Still so full of bravado, even as you stand on death's doorstep," Saki hissed. His eyes flicked to Michaelangelo, who still lay unconscious on the floor. "A shame that he won't wake up in time for you to say good bye…" He laughed evilly, spawning more outrage in Raphael, who struck ferociously back at the glass wall. The entire structure reverberated from the force.

Still laughing, Saki pivoted sharply away from him, spinning a finger in the air and watching two soldiers run hastily from the room. A few moments passed, then, distantly, I heard a rumbling noise in the ceiling above us.

"I win." Saki mouthed triumphantly.

Raphael hocked a wad of spit against the glass, giving him a bemused smile as it ran down the surface. "Go to hell, asshole."

Suddenly water surged from the suspended pipe.


	3. III

**_Author's Note:_**

Hey all! I'm heading out of town tomorrow, and I was going to wait to post this on Sunday when I got back...but since you sent me so many WONDERFUL reviews, I decided to give it to you earlier. With that said, I don't have time to answer each of you individually - but please, know that I am SO APPRECIATIVE of every little review you guys give me. LOVE ALL OF YOU!

Sorry about this, but I think that you all knew it was coming..._Character death warning.(Sassy cowers as the angry mob runs toward her)_**

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(Leonardo's POV)

The water rained down forcefully, the spray driving into my eyes. It was so cold, and I felt my breath catch painfully in my throat. Burying my face into my arm, I tried desperately to clear my vision. I heard a voice above the watery onslaught – Raphael. He was fervorently yelling Mike's name.

_Oh God, Mike!_

I tried to lift my eyes to search for him, but the water still blinded me. I forced myself to remain calm for a few more moments, waiting for the enclosure to start to fill. As it did, the spray died down, and I could once again see clearly. With the icy liquid biting above my ankles, a raw panic swept through me.

Michaelangelo's entire face was almost completely under. His body had started to convulse, trying to cough up the water that was flowing into his lungs. Even with all of the movement, he still didn't wake – the drugs continued to enwrap him in their slumber.

"MIKE!" I screamed, desperate for him to stand, to keep from going under. Raphael was doing the same, the area around him tinted pink with blood as he struggled against his chains.

But the water kept rising…rising…rising…

…until his entire body slipped below the surface.

"No! Mike, please…" my voice faded to a whimper. Tears welled up in my eyes and a sob tore through me, making me shake. For one awful, pain-wracked moment – _or was it an eternity?_ – I felt like the object of a tug of war game, being pulled apart by loss and my own fear. Mike was dying…

_We were all dying._

"Leo." I could barely hear Donatello over the rush of water. He too was crying, but his face remained oddly calm.

"Leo, its better this way-" his sentence broke as he exhaled sharply, shivering from the cold. "He won't feel anything, he won't even know its happening."

Although the thought was comforting, it did nothing to ease the grief inside of me.

The three of us watched him, silently, while the minutes ticked passed – so many, that we knew he had to be gone. The room had filled up to my chest, with tiny waves crashing into my face, making me cough and sputter for air. Now that Mike was dead, I did nothing to try and push the water away.

For the first time, I noticed Saki. He was still standing in the same place, eyes sparkling in unbridled pleasure at our suffering. Before this moment, I never thought that I was even capable of feeling such hatred, especially for one person. I shot him a look of pure venom.

Smiling at me, he knocked hard on the glass behind Raphael. My brother whirled at the noise, broken from his trance.

Seeing Saki, a cry erupted from Raphael that was full of such anguish, it nearly shattered my heart. Teeth bared, he kicked at the glass, then threw himself sideways against it. The loss of Michaelangelo put him into an absolute frenzy. The water churned with his attacks, and as it rose higher, we had to tread in order to keep our heads from going under. The movement was nearly impossible with our ankles bound and the heavy chain trying to drag us back to the floor. In just minutes, I felt my legs starting to give out.

I glanced frantically toward Donatello, and to my horror, realized that he had already dropped below the surface. I screamed at Raphael, but my voice was lost to his struggling.

_And then I couldn't breathe._

The chain attached to my ankles was taught, and even with my head tilted, my mouth couldn't reach air. Panicking, I nearly sucked in a mouthful of water. I had to force myself to stay still, to keep from clawing at my wrists. I knew that moving would make me need air even faster.

That fact was completely lost on Raphael. Being pulled under did nothing to cease his hysterics. He had his back to us, attention still focused on Saki's fuzzy outline, beating against the glass with renewed vigor. Donatello's eyes were wide with fright, and I heard the faint sound of his voice as he tried to yell at Raphael through the water. I couldn't understand what he was saying, but I could vaguely read his lips.

"Stop it, Raph…it only gives… more pleasure…to see… fight…"

His calls having no affect, we each watched painfully as time passed – and Raphael's thrashing became weaker.

_Raphael! Dammit, Raph…please don't leave…_ In my mind I was screaming.

Suddenly, in one large convulsion, his movements ceased completely. The chain around his ankles dragged his limp body downward, raising his arms toward the surface in a sickening gesture of defeat.

Mental anguish lanced through me like lighting. Two of them…gone…

My chest tightened, both from loss and the need for air. The pain was starting to build, different from anything I'd ever felt before. Worse than a flesh wound, more awful than any battle injury. There was so much fear.

"Leo."

Don again, but my name wasn't spoken – it seemed to come from inside my head. My eyes met his, and I saw his body start to shake. He was running out of time.

His lips barely able to move, I watched him mouth his last words.

"Love you, bro'."

_My heart broke._

"Love you, too."

He managed a slight smile before his eyes closed, soul fading away.

_Damn you, Saki!_

Three truly exquisite lives, all lost in a matter of minutes. We'd experienced so much hardship, yet managed to touch so many people, even if they'd never known that we had existed. To die so unceremoniously, in such agony, so many years before our time – it seemed completely unfair.

_God, please make it be over…it hurts so bad…_

Suddenly I felt like I was falling – I couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't react. The world had no up or down, only the sensation of cold, icy water. I wanted to scream in pain; but then numbness started to spread from the fire in my chest, pushing the agony away. It spread faster as it moved outward, and soon I could no longer feel anything, anything at all.

A few thoughts remained with me in those final moments. Raphael; had _he_ known that I loved him? It had been so long since I'd told him…And Mike. It was probably best that he hadn't wakened…but we never got to tell him goodbye. Donny…oh god, please let us all be together when this is over…

Drifting…the world started to spin…

Plummeting…

I let the darkness pull me farther, closing behind me, and my thoughts began to go numb and fall away as well.

Drowning…

Drowning…

Drowning…

Nothing.

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**A/N: I realize that I could have drawn this out a lot longer, but my original plan was to keep this story short. It could have easily been a one-shot, but you all know how I love to string you along...I just couldn't resist! Thank you to everyone who reviewed!**


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